Culture
Shawn Johnson and Andrew East went to see a child psychiatrist before they began filming Special Forces, to ensure their children’s emotional well-being.
Shawn Johnson Consulted a Child Psychiatrist Before Enlisting in the Special Forces to Protect Her Children
Shawn Johnson and Andrew East did not rush into the unknown area without proper consideration.
The Olympic gymnast and former NFL player decided not to be a part of season four of FOX’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test until they were convinced that it would not harm daughter Drew, 6, and sons Jett, 4, and Bear, 23 months.
“I met with a child psychiatrist before we signed the deal,” Shawn told E! News, “because I was really scared that I would scar my kids.”
She revealed that she and Andrew “had a lot of talks” with their children about them being away for 10 days and also ensured that the trio remained active.
“We planned so much for them to have fun,” she indicated, thus they would be “distracted” and “create their own memories” with cousins and grandparents.
Shawn Johnson Kid Mode: “Had a Blast” While She and Andrew Went Through Special Forces
“They had a blast,” Johnson said of her children’s 10 days without mom and dad. “They were so excited for us to come home, but in fact, they had good memories of us being gone instead of bad ones.”
While Drew, Jett and Barrett were out there having fun, their parents’ situation was very different on Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.
“At one point, I think you go completely mentally numb,” Shawn said. “You feel like just a human shell.”
Andrew East also felt the experience was overwhelming: “Honestly, I would recommend watching the entire show until the very last day only. That’s when everything got ruined. It was so brutal.”
Shawn Johnson Says Special Forces Finale “Shifted the Game”
Shawn Johnson didn’t quite agree with the notion that the ending “ruined” Special Forces, but she certainly acknowledged that the finale felt completely different.”
“The whole thing changed from what we are very used to, which is the physical pain, to, ‘Wow, what is this?'” she recalled the last challenge.
The Olympic champion, however, still regarded herself as “fortunate” to be able to make it that far. “I think it was very ironic that after all the physical hardships it was actually the crossing of the finish line that took all of those memories out of my mind and made them have a purpose.”
Andrew East, who saw the situation a little differently, was in the end only very thankful for the time he got to spend with his wife.
Shawn Johnson and Andrew East Shower With Compliments Each Other After Special Forces
“I could not be more proud and more impressed of Shawn,” was the statement made by Andrew East. “Watching her just do her thing was so incredible, and the fact that we get to be the witnesses of it all together.”
In the same manner Shawn Johnson was totally astonished and could not stop admiring her husband calling him the “jackpot winner for a human being” because Andrew was “the rock for everyone.”
“You are, in fact, the people’s golden retriever,” she said. “Any one of the people that were feeling vulnerable, scared or nervous could have sworn that they felt on him. Kody [Brown] would become vulnerable and say, ‘Where’s Andrew? I need Andrew.’’”
